ASU fans can't help but feel like they have seen this act before. In fact, it was about one year ago at this time when the ASU football team held a 5-1 overall record with a 3-0 record in the conference. Of course we all know how that season ended. And that's what has ASU fans really nervous heading into this weekends game against UCLA. A loss and this thing could snowball into last year all over again.

Can this ASU football team avoid imploding the way last years team did? Just how good is this ASU football team? The most difficult portion of their schedule lies ahead of them. How will quarterback Taylor Kelly respond after his worst performance of the year last week against Oregon?

These are all legitimate questions I will try to answer. One, I do not feel this ASU team will implode the way last years team did. Last years team had internal problems that ate away at team chemistry. It got so bad that some of the players started to tune out and actually challenge the authority and leadership of the coaches. That is far from the case under Todd Graham. Players are still working hard and responding to his strict, disciplined approach to the game.

Two, just how good is this ASU football team? Believe it or not it is still too early to answer that question. The next two games (home against UCLA at Oregon State) will go a long way towards properly answering that. Tthree of their final five games are on the road and two of those are against top 10 teams, Oregon State and USC.

Three, how will Taylor Kelly respond after his worst game of the year last week? Kelly has shown too much this season to think that he won't bounce back. He has won over legions of ASU fans with his hard work and gutsy play. In fact, Kelly has spent even more time in the film room trying to learn and improve from the Oregon game. His quiet confidence explains how he was able to win a quarterback competition that no one felt he had a chance to win and explains why his coaches and teammates believe in him.

An ASU win over UCLA keeps the Devils relevant. A loss and the bandwagon comes to a full stop.

Clutch. Money. Assassin. Heart of a champion. All words that have been used to describe or define stand out play during crunch time. I couldn't help but notice the number of NFL games over the weekend that were decided in the 4th quarter or crunch time. Now it would be too easy to point out the clutch performers of the winning teams. But I'd like to focus on the head coaches of the losing teams.

Jason Garrett and the Cowboys terribly mismanaged the clock and their situation against the Ravens, getting off only one play in 22 seconds with one time out. The result a missed 51 yard field goal attempt and a 31-29 loss.

Bill Belichik and the Patriots couldn't hold on to a 13 point 4th quarter lead against the Seahawks. Norv Turner and the Chargers misplaced a 24 point halftime lead and a 10 point 4th quarter advantage in their loss to the Broncos. In both cases you could point to poor play calling which allowed the clock to stop preserving more time for the rallying teams. Andy Reid and the Eagles likewise squandered a 10 point 4th quarter lead in their loss to the Lions.

In fact, Reid and the Eagles have a bad habit of misplacing 4th quarter leads. They have lost seven games over the last two years because of 4th quarter meltdowns. Today it cost defensive coordinator Luis Castillo his job.

Which brings me to Ken Whisenhunt and the Cardinals. They have a habit of being clutch and money at crunch time of their games. You know the numbers. Eight straight home wins over the last two years with five coming in overtime and seven decided by six points or less. Despite their overtime home loss to the Bills on Sunday, Whisenhunt once again showed his late game brilliance.

Facing 4th and 10 at the Bills 44 yard line with 1:14 left in the game Whisenhunt sent out Jay Feely to try a 61 yard field goal. The Cardinals still had all three of their time outs. I believe that the Garrett's and Turner's would have punted in this situation with hopes of pinning the Bills deep and using the time outs to get the ball back.

I believe the Belichik's and Reid's would have gambled and went for it on 4th down. But Whisenhunt, using his feel for the game and his player, called on Jay Feely (who had never kicked one from this distance in his career) to kick it from 61 yards, And Feely came through tying the game at 16. Whisenhunt then used his timeouts on defense to get the ball back. He then dialed up a big pass play from his back-up quarterback to his star receiver.

And even though Feely missed what should have been a chip shot game winning field goal you couldn't help but be impressed by the job Whisenhunt did in pushing all the right buttons and brilliantly managing play at crunch time.

No doubt, Whisenhunt doesn't have the cache' and respect of Belichik or Reid. But it's time to give the man his due.

I can't believe it is even a question; " When John Skelton is 100 per cent healthy does he get his starting job back?" What!!! Are you serious? With Skelton back practicing for the first time since severely spraining his ankle in the season opener, that question is starting to make the rounds. To coach Whisenhunt, to Skelton, to Kevin Kolb, amongst the media and at the water cooler.

There seems to be a large contingent living by that old adage that one does not lose his starting job because of injury. C'mon. Really? Let me enlighten those of you holding firm to that archaic belief. If we're talking Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton or Eli Manning, the handful of elite Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, then you are absolutely right they don't lose their starting job to injury. Anybody short of those guys, PLEASE! Let's not forget this is also a what have you done for me lately league.

There is absolutely no way Whisenhunt should even consider handing the job back over to Skelton. The way Kolb has responded and performed in helping the Cardinals to a 4-0 start, the question of Skelton returning as the starter should not even be mentioned. In fact, if I were Whisenhunt I'd stop all of this nonsense right now. I would come out and say that the way Kolb is playing and the way the team has responded to him he is my starter period. End of conversation. It's his job to lose. Next question.

Four players injured. Three end up in the hospital, two via ambulance. I fully understand why the Tempe High football team and their fans were upset and outraged. I can't say that I blame them for deciding to forfeit given the circumstances.

But they are dead wrong to call Saguaro out for being dirty. I wasn't at the game but I am basing my opinion on what I read in the report Tempe submitted to the AIA. Tempe head coach Brian Walker stated this: "I had three of my kids sent to the hospital and a fourth on the sideline with a concussion. Of the four, three were helmet to helmet contact and another I thought was a flagrant face mask."

That statement shaped my entire opinion on the matter. Helmet to helmet contact is not dirty nor deliberate. It's simply unfortunate. There is not a single coach who can teach a player how to deliver a helmet to helmet hit and ensure that he walks away healthy while the other player is injured. There is not a single player who wants to go out and purposely deliver a helmet to helmet hit. Not with the risk of paralysis as an end result.

Over the weekend a player for Tulane University, Devon Walker, collided helmet to helmet with his own teammate while attempting to make a tackle. Walker stopped breathing on the field. Doctors performed CPR on the field. Walker suffered a broken neck, collapsed lung and a fractured spine. It is unknown if he will ever walk again.

Helmet to helmet contact is dangerous. Players and coaches are fully aware of this. With that said, Saguaro was NOT playing dirty with the three helmet to helmit hits against Tempe. The Saguaro players were at just as great a risk of injury as the Tempe players.

Too many people are misinformed when trying to blame the AIA for scheduling this game. For some reason many think that Saguaro plays in a higher division than Tempe. But the fact is Saguaro and Tempe are competing for the same division-3 state championship. Tempe and Saguaro played last year with Saguaro winning 63-6. Saguaro led 42-0 at halftime of that game. No one complained of dirty play then.

Saguaro has won five of the last six state championship titles. I have heard many criticize Saguaro for recruiting, for running up the score and for even holding star players out of a big rivalry game. But never have I heard anyone accuse them of being dirty.

I certainly hope that the AIA does not penalize Tempe for forfeiting the game with Saguaro. I believe that Tempe acted appropriately. Psychologically and emotionally the football team was scarred. I truly believe that had they stayed and continued to play that more of their players would have been subjected to injury because their focus would not have been on the game.

I am absolutely pumped for another season of high school football here in the valley. I attended the Brophy-Mountain Ridge game Wednesday night. Brophy quarterback Tyler Bruggman looked in total command directing Brophy's no huddle spread offense. Brophy won rather easily 37-7

But how in the world will the Broncos recover in time, physically, to take on the nations top ranked team, California's Santa Mararita, by Saturday. It hardly seems fair that Brophy has to play one of the best high school teams in the nation on only three days rest.

One of the storylines I find intriguing is that of the perennial powerhouse Hamilton Huskies. Hamilton had its 54-game winning streak halted in last years division one title game against Desert Vista. Hamilton was thoroughly dominated and embarrassed.

They never rebuild at Hamilton. They simply reload. But how will they respond? Did the beat down affect them psychologically? I doubt it but it bears watching.

Also this is a banner year for recruiting in the state. We could see a record number of division one college recruits come out of our state this season. Marcos de Niza is certainly loaded with division one prospects. Defensive back Priest Willis is being recruited by just about every major school from every major conference.

Given their history it is not at all surprising to see the Lakers put together an A-plus summer shopping spree: Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Antwaun Jamison and Jodie Meeks. In fact, you can hand over the executive of the year award to Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak, right now.

But what is surprising to me is how well the Suns front office performed during this same span. I have not been impressed one little bit by the Suns front office prior to now. To be quite frank, Lance Blanks and Lon Babby appeared to be as bad and clueless as owner Robert Sarver.

However, I have to give them credit and actually applaud their efforts this summer. Michael Beasley, Wesley Johnson, Goran Dragic and Luis Scola are great additions to their rebuilding efforts.

Beasley will be the 20-point scorer the Suns desire. He can beat you off the dribble, score inside and outside, run the floor and make plays above the rim. He was never the number one option in either of his previous two stops, Miami and Minnesota. He will be the number one option here which will bring out his absolute best on the court. Let's hope he's at his absolute best off the court as well.

Wesley Johnson is an athletic player who can run the floor and make plays above the rim. He has a picture perfect looking jump shot. But his confidence seemed to waver. In Minnesota, with the dominant presence of Kevin Love and being the fourth or fifth option, Johnson appeared to be looking over his shoulder quite a bit. Here he won't be yelled at for taking a shot. He'll be yelled at for NOT taking a shot. Look for his confidence to grow and that picture perfect shot to perculate. If Johnson is the starting two guard the Suns bench becomes better with Jared Dudley going back to a role that makes the team better.

Goran Dragic is ready to run a team full time and Luis Scola is a gritty, solid pro. Make no mistake about it the Suns front office had a very good summer. I would give them a B-plus if I were handing out grades.

Their first round pick of Kendall Marshall keeps the grade from being an A. The Suns coaching staff did an outstanding job with Sebastian Telfair last year. Telfair competes extremely hard on both ends of the floor. He's fast, athletic, a willing underrated passer who doesn't shy away from pressure. With Telfair and Dragic at point guard, why even draft Marshall. The Suns had to know they would target Dragic in free agency long before the draft ever rolled around. An athletic big or athletic wing would have been the appropriate target in the draft.

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